To address growing demand of masks during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, COVID-19, Honeywell is quickly ramping up production and making millions of the N95 masks in the United States.

The company is expanding manufacturing operations in a factory in Smithfield, RI, which also produces UVEX safety glasses.

“We are honored to support the U.S. government’s efforts to protect Americans with personal protective equipment made right here in the United States,” says Darius Adamczyk, Honeywell chairman and chief executive officer. “Our Rhode Island facility already produces industry-leading safety gear and soon will play a critical role in supplying the Strategic National Stockpile with N95 masks.”

Those N95 face masks will be delivered to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for use to support health, safety and emergency response workers.

Honeywell expects the new mask production line in Smithfield will create at least 500 jobs. Recruiting, hiring and training manufacturing workers will begin immediately.

N95 masks provide respiratory protection and “reduce the wearer’s exposure to airborne particles, from small particle aerosols to large droplets,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  “N95 respirators are tight-fitting respirators that filter out at least 95% of particles in the air, including large and small particles.”

Honeywell has also increased production of the masks around the world, as part of its efforts to respond to the coronavirus.